Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Calais vs Middlesex vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Calais | Middlesex | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,713Lowest |
1,943 |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.